BlazersBroncos wrote:Village Idiot wrote:With Indiana looking really good but always reluctant to pay the luxury tax, they will have to pay Myles Turner to stay competitive. Jarace Walker has never really made inroads into their rotation but has looked solid in limited minutes and really good in the g-league. Personally I still feel he can become a really good player. Solid D, strong BBIQ, good connective piece on O, can hit an open jumper. His salary numbers are $6,362,520 this salary year and $6,665,520 from July. We have a TPE of $6,875,000 which expires on July 6 so, in theory, we can aquire him for nothing but I imagine the Pacers will want an asset for him. Perhaps trading up a few spots would be incentive enough.
If we were able to trade Simons for KCP and 16 I would then trade the 16 for Walker and 23. We can let Jabari Walker and Delano Banton go and let Jarace Walker take those minutes.
I think it’s much more likely they trade Toppin as it saves more money for resigning Turner, but who knows as Obi has been playing quite well in the playoffs. I love buying low on Jarace though.
Regardless I think it would take 11 rather than 16 at minimum to get Jarace and 23.
Looking at their cap situation, trading Jarace Walker does not make a ton of sense. Trading Mathurin does, given that he is a RFA after next year and that several of their key rotational players are signed for 2+ more years to team-friendly deals, trading them away doesn't really help their cap situation a ton and likely does not benefit them more than what those players give them on the court.
STAR - Halliburton, locked up thru 28/29 @ $45.4\$48.9\$52.3\$55.6
SECONDARY\STAR - Siakam, locked up thru 27/28 @ $45.5\$48.9\$52.3
ROTATIONAL PLAYERS:
Nesmith, locked up thru 26/27 @ $11\$11
Nembhard, locked up thru 27/28 @ $18\$19.5\$21
Toppin, locked up thru 27/28 @ $14\$15\$16
McConnell, locked up thru 28\29 @ $10\$11\$11.8\$11.8
OTHERS:
Mathurin, locked up thru 25/26 (RFA in 26/27 @ $9.2
Sheppard, locked up thru 26/27 (RFA in 27/28) @ $2.8/$5
Walker, locked up thru 26/27 (RFA in 27/28) @ $6.7\$8.5
Furphy, locked up thru 27/28 @ $2\$2.3\$2.5
2025 PICKS: #23, #54
They have to resign Turner this year (he is a UFA, however only BRK has a ton of cap space available). Next year they are at $165, if they sign Turner @ $30mil, that is $195 (11 players, $199 (12 players) if you count their #23 pick ), the tax is $188, 1st apron is $196.
So $11 million over the tax with 12 players (roster minimum is 13), so they probably have to trade away 2 players: Mathurin who is going to be a RFA after next season would seem to make the most sense and then maybe a guy like Obi Toppin. Walker could fill in for Toppin's role and they have Sheppard\Furphy (maybe #23?) to fill in for Mathurin. Of course, any amount Turner signs for under $30 million would be beneficial to IND. It will be interesting to see how they handle his contract.
Again, I would say POR should be looking at the model IND is doing:
(1) Star level player
(1) Secondary\star or near star level player
(4-5) Key rotational pieces locked up on affordable contracts
Other players on rookie scale\vet minimum range deals
This is the important part, especially for a team like POR, it is very hard paying more than (2) guys that type of money ($30+ million) and not expect to be paying the luxury tax\flirting with the 1st apron. It looks really bad if your team is not competing deep into the playoff to make the cost worthwhile, even then, few teams are willing to go there.
So a team like IND, who has generally done a good job locking up role\rotational players, but does not want to pay the luxury tax, is eventually going to face a crunch, and they are competing in the EC finals, which makes it a lot easier to commit to paying tax\incurring 1st apron penalties then.
The hope is that POR would be in a similar position, but paying Deni\Camara\Sharpe AND Simons or Ayton $30+million and expecting a massive amount of internal growth is a foolish strategy.
